It’s holiday season and if you’re lucky enough to go somewhere that will require you to wear a swimsuit, then you need to read this article. The latest trend for swimwear this summer has been ‘Nude‘. But whose nude is it anyway?
There are so many swimsuit brands that have been killing it this summer and for summer of 2017, ‘nude’ swimsuit was declared early as the hottest trend for the beach, and we see no signs of this trend abating, even as summer draws to a close. This list focuses on FleshTone nudes (for women of colour) that either blend seamlessly with, or beautifully complement your melanin. Prices range from $15 to $400 – so there is something for everyone. This is the ONLY nude swimsuit guide that you need for 2017!
Myra Swim
Myra Swim was founded by Bianca Elouise in 2014 and has several simple and sexy pieces that are ‘nude’ or ‘nude-esque’, and that are very suitable for this summer’s latest FleshTone trends. Worn by several big name celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Blac Chyna and Nicki Minaj – it’s one of the hottest swimsuit labels in Tinseltown. The colours ‘Mocha’ and ‘Chocolate’ suit medium to darker FleshTones, and there are a range of other colours (particularly khaki) that will suit just about everyone.
Shop it here.
Brittne Babe Swim
Brittne Jackson is young, super fit, and an Instagram fitness sensation. An athlete, personal trainer and a full-time college student, she also makes totally affordable swimwear. Her ‘Ebony’ two piece is super cute and is just $15USD (available in sizes small, medium and large). It has a tube top with removable padding and the bikini bottoms are low-rise with a ‘cheeky’ cut. While this swimsuit may not last forever, it will definitely last the summer!
Shop it here.
Smart & Sexy
The ‘Swim Secret’ range from Smart & Sexy is seriously good value for money. Smart & Sexy is a woman-owned brand that has properly fitted under garments and swimsuit at front of mind. There are a range of styles in the Swim Secrets range available in the FleshTone friendly colours – Latte, Caramel and Espresso.
The best thing about the Swim Secret range (and all Smart & Sexy swim wear) is that the swim tops are actually bra size, with many pieces being available in sizes 32A to 40DD. There are push-up convertible swim tops, bandeaus and a huge range of bottoms to choose from, with many averaging $40USD for a full set.
Shop it here.
Kit10 Swim
Kit10 (pronounced ‘Kitten’) Swim is the creation of LA-based model and actress Christin Marie Nichols. Her range is super sexy, Instagram-compatible and very on trend. And best of all, it features great options for women of colour to go ‘nude’ at the beach this summer.
Shop it here.
Nude Wear (ZA)
Nude Wear is a South African swimwear label created by Denicke Cronje. The brand is based in Cape Town South Africa, and the line features a range of skin tone inspired bikini separates. Nude Wear promotes itself as being body positive, and a company committed to ‘exploring the multiplicity of the female form’. We are pleased to see the diversity in models used from the get-go (rather than as an afterthought).
Shop it here.
Monif C
Another stellar black-owned brand, Monif C, has been making plus sized fashion for more than 10 years. CEO Monif Clarke, has a vision of beautiful, bold and well-constructed clothing – and it’s a winning combination. Cut for plus size body shapes, the Cape Verde Cafe Au Lait high cut swim suit, elongates the legs and lifts the bust. While it’s not a ‘true nude’ (it’s more of a taupe-ish lighter brown), it’s definitely one that complements and accentuates deeper FleshTones.
Shop it here.
NA-KD
Swedish based online boutique ‘Na-kd’ has some rather nice nude swimwear, suitable for a range of FleshTones. While Na-kd stocks some high-end, exclusive and very expensive brands, it also has its own label, which has some affordable swimwear. Our favorite Na-kd label piece is the Triangle Bikini in the colour ‘Tan’ which suits caramel coloured FleshTones as well as lighter FleshTones (and darker ladies who want a bit of a colour pop).
Shop it here.
Ashera Swimwear
Black-owned brand Asherah Swimwear has some seriously hot pieces. Creative Director and Designer Cheryl “Cejae” Jones was inspired by the leisure lifestyle of summer culture when creating the Asherah brand.
This rather sexy swimwear is made to order in Dallas USA and there are some great FleshTone options among the mainly bright and bold pieces. Our favorite is the Ace Bikini which is a traditional triangle cut with ties at the neck and back. It’s available in the FleshTone option ‘mocha’ as well as a (so-called) ‘Nude’ for lighter complexions.
Shop it here.
LA’ Joi Swimwear
Black-owned brand La’joi swimwear is hand-made in the UK and is inspired by ‘iconic, confident women worldwide’. It’s a relatively new brand (just a year old), and we are happy to see the brand using a diverse set of models. Our favourite from the brand is the Ophilia swimsuit top. It’s off the shoulder and all kinds of cute. The Ophilia top, when paired with the Miriam bottoms (which has a flattering wide band) is approximately 40 pounds for the set. Colors include chocolate, a flattering and complementary taupe, as well as a medium ‘tan’ colour.
Shop it here.
MISSGUIDED
Missguided stock is constantly being updated so fashions are always current, and it’s very affordable. Another great thing is Missguided allows you to search by colour – so it’s easy to find your FleshTone (or close to it) in each clothing category. The quality of Missguided gear is…reasonable and generally doesn’t fall apart on first wear like some other cheaper brands. Overall, a good option for ‘one summer’ swimwear, even better if you buy during a sale. You can often find sets for around the $30USD mark.
Shop it here.
Holidolls
Holidolls is a successful Italian label and founded by Sam Bains and Alycia Marie Dean-Johns. Holidolls launched their ‘My Nude Collection’ in 2017 – perfectly timed with the Summer 2017 nude swimwear trend. Dubbed as ‘swimgerie’, this label is definitely something you would wear ‘at’ the beach – rather than ‘in’ the beach itself. These are intricate, delicate little numbers. The My Nude Collection features four colours – peach, caramel, cinnamon and chocolate which are designed to flatter fair, olive, medium and dark skintones – so everyone really. The beads and embellishments on Holidolls swimgerie is done by hand – which gives some context to the hefty price tags associated with this label. Holidolls swimgerie is priced at 250 to 330 Euro, with custom orders being more expensive.
Shop it here.
Beads Byaree
Best known for its hand crafted jewellery, BB swimwear is totally sexy and totally wearable. Our favourite is the Sri Sri cover up shorts and crop top, made from sheer spandex and (unfortunately only) available in size small. The crop and shorts set is $70USD – not bad for something that is boutique, unique, up-and-coming and black-owned.
Shop it here.
Haight
Haight is a Brazilian brand with a Tumblr that’s to die for. Aesthetically pleasing in every way, their swimsuits are gorgeous…but not for those on a budget. The ‘CafePreto’ (deep beautiful brown) and ‘Bronze’ colours available from Haight are great FleshTone options. Haight’s new season bikini features a v-neck, really unusual back crisscross straps (that have a black underside) and a flattering high waisted style bottom. If you can afford this, you probably won’t want to get sand on it – it’s over 200Euro.
Shop it here.
Marlies Dekkers
Marlies Dekkers is a well known Dutch lingerie designer and one of the European pioneers of the ‘innerwear as outerwear’ trend. Marlies Dekkers’ ‘Puritsu’ bathing suit caught our eye as a great option for summer that doesn’t involve the exposure of all of your best lady bits. It’s still a sexy swimsuit to be sure – the soft suede-like fabric is a deep brown and the gathered centre and gold detail really frame your décolleté. This swimsuit was inspired by the Japanese art of folding (‘puritsu’ meaning fold) – presumably because of the feature folds at the bust. But we actually like the cut out at the back of this swimsuit and the gold coloured double clasps. This swimsuit is definitely a designer number, and prices start at an eye watering $269USD.
Shop it here.
Bfyne
Bfyne is the creation of designer, entrepreneur and Nigerian-American, Buki Ade. You’ve probably seen her designs on Instagram, trending like crazy – or on the pages of Vogue, Glamour and even Sports Illustrated. Described as ‘an unapologetic tribute to women’s curves and confidence’, Bfyne is definitely a unique and bold statement maker at the beach.
You WILL turn heads in these gorgeous pieces. Prices for swimwear start at around $90USD – on the slightly more affordable side of couture swimwear. Definitely time to unleash your inner ‘Fynebabe’ this summer.
Shop it here.
This feature was reproduced from an original article from Fleshtone.net
